


The day Manuel Neuer broke the sun.

by Coffeebreakcreations



Series: Abstractionverse [1]
Category: Men's Football RPF
Genre: A Collection of In Universe Events, Club football, Combat Trainings, Gen, Hidden Organizations, Hidden Talents, Living with super powers, M/M, Missions, People finding out their super powers, Self indulgence, Slice of Life, Some shippy stuff on the sides, Super Powers AU, called Abstractions in universe, national teams, part of a larger story, rivalries, while still being a Football player for the world to see
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-10
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:13:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 19,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21583585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Coffeebreakcreations/pseuds/Coffeebreakcreations
Summary: orHow Manuel Neuer and other football players discover and live with their abstractions.
Relationships: Alexander Nübel/Niklas Süle, Benedikt Höwedes & Manuel Neuer, Julian Brandt/Kai Havertz, more will be added - Relationship
Series: Abstractionverse [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1751947
Comments: 5
Kudos: 15





	1. 2009 : The Day Manuel Neuer Broke The Sun

"Yep, something's wrong with this room." Beni said clearly irritated as he slams a book he is reading shut. He puts it down on his desk before giving an exasperated sigh.

"The bulbs are busted. I can't see a damn thing." He whines again. He then takes a peek at Manu all spread out in his bed. Not a care in the world.

Benni grabs one of his pillows and tosses it onto Manu's face, shocking the other sending him sitting up.

"Ugh, what do you want me to do." He said, equally exasperated.

"Are you not annoyed with our lighting situation in this room?" Benni asks.

"Kinda, but what can I do about it?" Manu answers.

Benni huffs. He frowns and pinches the bridge of his nose. Clearly that's not the answer he wanted from him. He gets slightly more annoyed when he sees the taller man just laying back to his bed.

"I mean," Manu pauses, "I'm so tired that I can't even do anything else after training. And we're not even getting combat practice yet." Manu then aimlessly reaches for the pillow that Benni threw at him and tosses it back to his general direction.

Benni effortlessly catches it. "Maybe you should be the keeper," Manu comments as he was looking at Benni with one eye open.

"No thanks. "No thanks. Everyone knows the goal post is your calling. When the time comes, the world will be looking up to you."

"And when will that be, I haven't even manifested my abstraction yet. Look at Jeri, the Order has already taken immense interest with his abstraction."

Benni shrugs, “Oh Jeri, his abstraction is cool though. Tapping into technology with his mind. I wish mine is just as useful." He then stands up, "I wish I could just choose my abstraction," he stares at the pen on his desk, "like move things with my mind."

Both knows that such a thing is impossible. You cannot really choose your abstraction, the thing just comes at you randomly. Yet as Manu looks at Benni's direction again after falling quiet he notices that he really is trying to move the pen with his mind. Manu chuckles at the sight, making Benni drop the act. "At least, I tried."

He returns to his seat, "Or at least, be able to absorb knowledge instantly because good lord I want to finish this book but reading under this light is only hurting my eyes."

"Just go to sleep," Manu says casually.

"You’re really that tired?" Benni asks.

Manu frowns, feigning consideration, acting like he's thinking hard for an answer. "Yes," he says flatly.

"Oh I know what I'll do--"

"Oh my god just go to sleep."

"I'll try to predict your future, maybe my abstraction can be future vision, that would be cool, no?"

"Future vision, that’s horrible. You’ll be insane, but oh well. I’ll just visit your asylum regularly."

Benni stops speaking making Manu look at him. He sees Benni facing him with his eyes closed, the tip of his hands squeezing the side of his head as if doing an actual genuine effort of mind reading. Manu just gives out a short silent laugh at how ridiculous Benni looked. Finally Benni opens his eyes and relaxes his arms. Manu looks at him once more with an unimpressed but anticipating look.

"You'll have the coolest abstraction and everyone will worship you, then we'll be winning this year's U21 championship, be promoted, then win the next world cup, and then a treble with Schalke, and then win many bundesliga titles."

"Yeah really Benni?” Manu said in a fake exaggerated excitement. “How many? Two? Three?"

"Seven," Benni said with forced mysticism in his voice. He then stands on the bed, looks up into the distance, pumps his fist into the air and says, "Seven consecutive titles."

"Yeah sure,” Manu laughs as he turns away from him, rolling back to the center of his bed and then spreading himself out. “Maybe I'll also be a lost heir of a multi billion euro business empire, retire from this sport and then own an island so that I can be as far away as possible from your crazy nonsense."

"You laugh now Manu but you won’t be laughing when other bundesliga teams sends assassins to us because we’re unstoppable.” Benni said in a fake berating voice. “But you need not worry,” he adds. “I’ll just send them out with my wind abstraction.” He then pushes his hand in front of him, producing a weak gust of air that only moved his bedsheets slightly.

Manu gives a muffled chuckle. “Me whistling would’ve sent a stronger gust of air than that.” he said.

“Hey I’m working on it.” Benni shoots up defensively. He then let himself fall down to his bed, collapsing on it with no resistance whatsoever, the springs making an audible sound to the sudden weight pushed onto it.

Manu, noticed this. He checks on Benni worried that he might’ve passed out. He finds Benni just staring at the ceiling, he was about to stand up but then, to Manu’s relief, Benni faces him.“I suddenly feel nauseous.” Manu shoots him a look as to say ‘I told you so.` Benni rolls his eyes and says, “Fine, I’ll go to sleep.”

“But you will come with me and get the staff to change the bulbs in this room.”

“Why can’t you call it in now?” Manu asked, slightly annoyed.

Benni gives out a long yawn. And in a very drowsy voice he says, “I’m lazy and I’m already in the mood to sleep.”

“Fair, want me to get the switch?” Manu offers.

“No, let me.” Benni then shuffles up. He aims himself at the light switch on the other end of the room. He breathes in, concentrating. He then opens his palms and swiftly extends his arm in front of him in a pushing motion. This time, a strong stream of air gushes out in front of him, strong enough that Manu had to hold onto his blanket for it not to fly off. He sustains it until the switch clicks, shutting off what little light the broken bulb is emitting.

“How’s that.” Benni said, proud of himself.

“Nice.” Manu replied, he really is impressed, but is too dazed to articulate a compliment. He doesn’t show it much but he really is amazed at Benni’s abstraction. How it manifested, his swift control of it, and the slow but steady progression of his mastery of it. He wonders when will he get his own abstraction, and will it even be as cool as Benni will be. And with that, he drifts off to sleep, hoping that sooner, he’ll finally discover what powers he has inside.

* * *

The next day was just a disaster.

Benni opens the door to their room with a mindless shove that he almost slams it to the wall. Not even bothering opening up the lights, he then slowly shambles to his bed and quickly tosses his entire being onto it. “Good god, I am beat,” He whines.

Manu follows, his face giving off a droopy expression like his face muscles cannot be even bothered to lift themselves up. He also tosses himself onto his bed face first. Although the bed is soft it still hurt a little bit to slam his entire body weight onto it, but he does not care at all. All he wants is his bed and nothing more.

“Yeah, this day sucked,” he replies, his face pressed onto the mattress muffling his voice.

“About that, whatever happened to you?” Benni asks, shifting his body to face Manu.

Manu’s eyes snapped open, he then rolls to the side so he can face the ceiling. With a groan he answers, “I don’t know, I just felt tired the entire day.”

“You looked pretty out of focus. I’ve never seen you be like that before.”

Manu just lets that sentence sink in. He tries to remember what happened at training but it feels like a slurry of memories, like the entire day just happened in a snap. 

He isn't sure really, suddenly he just felt like he can’t get his head into training. He’s letting in goals easily to the point that those that get past him looks more confused than victorious.

He then makes small movements in his legs and arms to check if something hurts. He makes weird twists and turns checking if every push and pull triggers some pain he wasn’t able to observe earlier. To his relief he finds no pain at all.

So why is he suddenly making all these mistakes?

“Well, I hope this is just a one off thing, maybe just a bad day. This is just training after all I’m sure it doesn’t matter that much. I won’t make the same mistakes during our actual matches.”

“Yeah about that…” Benni said with nervous hesitation.

“What?” Manu asked, now turning to face Benni as well.

Benni sits up, he looks at the ceiling while scratching the back of his head. “What is it Benni?” Manu said, now with an even more interrogating tone.

Benni swallows takes a deep breath and says, “I don’t know why but, Miroslav Klose and Philip Lahm were here earlier, and they seem to be observing you.”

“And they saw that mess of a performance?” 

“Er, yes.”

“Oh great, now I even bombed my first impression.”

“It wasn’t that bad, I’m sure your past performances and your future ones will surely redeem you.” Benni said in a rush, as to attempt to lighten up Manu.

Manu just groans. And he was about to beat himself up as to how bad this day has been, then a more pressing question piqued his curiosity. He sits up, and looks straight to Benni. He raises an eyebrow and looks around the room, trying to piece information together.

“Why were they here? Observing me?” He asks.

Benni’s eyes widen, slightly shocked at that question. He never even thought as to why Klose and Lahm would go all the way here to observe him. Surely if it’s a football related affair then why them? Why not anyone that’s more involved with goalkeeping? Unless it is not a football related affair and is in fact— 

“The Order?” the two says in unison.

“But why, then, I haven’t even had my abstraction yet. Are you sure they were observing me Benni?” Manu asks.

“One hundred percent positive. Their eyes were locked on to you the entire time.” Benni answers with utmost conviction.

“Maybe they were looking at others, maybe observing your abstraction or Jeri, or even Mats.”

Benni rolls his eyes and scoffs at the idea that Mats’ abstraction could be interesting enough for Klose and Lahm to personally visit and observe. “Well, Jeri had just been assessed by someone in the senior team, and well Mats, I don’t know what's special about his abstraction.”

“But it is interesting though. He can shroud an area with mist and turn himself into one.” Manu said with a smirk intending to rile up some nerve with Benni.

Benni then hops onto Manu’s bed and goes directly in front of him, eyeing him down. “Is it though?” he said. “Because I’m pretty sure a gust of air can blow his mist away and I really want to blow him.” Benni added. 

“Of course you do.” Manu said, holding back laughter.

Manu finds it amusing that Benni is just so aggravated when it comes to Mats. He always rants about how he hates his guts so much. He once suggested that instead of being annoyed so much, he could just stop thinking about him all the time. Oh, how Manu has regretted what that suggestion implied. But it’s true though, Manu knows that there’s something more to Benni’s obsession. This entertains Manu of course so sometimes he sprinkles some jabs towards Benni and waits for him to slip up.

Benni, upon realizing what he just absent mindedly said sits up and covers his mouth with both of his hands. “Away, I mean, blow that idiot away. You know, with my wind abstraction. Oh no I didn't mean it like that!” He exclaims as he retreats back to his own bed. “Sure Benni.” Manu said, in a lax tone. “Damn you Manu.” 

Benni lays in his bed still irritated, and Manu is just straight up amused of himself. Both are dead tired anyway so they just fall silent for a little while.

It must’ve been two or three hours perhaps before Benni spoke again. “I’m bored Manu.” he complained. Manu, already half asleep at that point just groans at Benni for still being awake.

“I know Benni.” Manu replied.

“I want to read Manu."

“I know Benni”

“The stupid bulb is still dim Manu.”

“I know Benni.”

“I thought they’ve replaced it already.”

Manu sighs, “I know Benni.”

“Do something Manu.”

Manu groans, “What do you want me to do?”

“Call the front desk, request for another replacement.” Benni said. But none of them doesn’t move a muscle. Irritated once again, Benni stands up and reaches for the telephone and calls in for a complaint. After he was done ranting to the phone he stomped back to his bed and just tossed himself in.

“What did they say?” Manu asked.

“You know, the usual stuff, but they’ll send people in to fix it.” Benni replied.

And again, Manu doesn’t add to that anymore. He just hopes that this gets finally fixed because it’s starting to irritate him as well. In fact it’s starting to hurt his head, adding on to his already beat up state of being right now. He can at least understand why is Benni acting like this.

When the people sent by the front desk arrived, Manu opted to leave the room and walk through the halls, thinking that maybe movement can alleviate some of that heavy feeling he has in his limbs. Benni remained of course, adamant in seeing this through so that this time he can make sure that it’s finally fixed.

When Manu stepped out of the room it took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the brightly lit hallway. The sudden flood of brightness made him feel a little pressure to his head. After his eyes had adjusted, he carried on wandering around the hallways. Every step feels like labor to Manu. He thinks that maybe it’s just him being tired adding on the strain of not being able to sleep properly. Thankfully it’s mostly silent, there's not much people going around, it is late in the night after all. Manu doesn’t complain, he isn’t really in the mood in meeting another soul right now what with his existing frustration from today’s training combined with the heaviness he feels in his body.

After a little while of circling around, he receives a text from Benni.

“The guys are done, I made them stay a little while and observe if the bulbs are going to funky again. But it remained normal so there’s that. I can finally finish reading this book thank God.”

Manu breathes a sigh of relief and heads back. He opens the door to a finally well lit room. Benni is lying chest down on his bed, his eyes plastered on the book he’s been wanting to finish. He doesn’t even acknowledge Manu’s arrival. Manu went straight to his bed. He wanted to do a tonne of things earlier but now he’s just tired and actually wants to just get some sleep. He regrets taking a walk a little bit. His head and limbs feel a little bit heavier now and if he listens closely he can feel his heart beating fast. On the back of his mind there’s a pinch of paranoia that this is something serious that might make him not play, but he shrugs it off thinking hat he’d had nights like these before after a normal, but gruesome, training day.

“Good night Benni,” he said with a long yawn. Benni just says a short “mhm” and then slowly Manu drifts off to sleep.

Manu wakes up to a sound of loud banging. His first instinct is to look for Benni, thinking that something might have happened to him. So he sits up, and looks for him. In his relief he finds that nothing bad has happened to Benni, but now his worry turned to confusion as he sees him banging his head on his desk.

“What’s the matter?” He asks, still dazed.

“The light’s gone dim again, and I’m just about to get into the good part of the book but it’s so irritating to read now.” Benni answered in a muffled voice. He had his palms pressed against his face. He then takes them off and looks at Manu. The obvious distress in his face made Manu make an expression that almost says “yikes.”

Benni’s eyes were dazed, his hair is wet and unkempt and his face is sweaty. It’s as if he had been running away from a mob trying to kill him. He looked even worse than a college student who hadn’t slept for three days trying to study for exams.

“And I can’t sleep because I’m just so pissed off.” He said.

In any other day Manu would’ve berated Benni for being this petty. But this situation with their room is really getting under his nerves as well. It is annoying that something as small as this is bothering them. He just stands up, pours cold water in a cup for Benni and takes it to him. He then takes out a towel from a rack and tosses it out to him.

“Come on now.” Manu said, trying to be as gentle as possible. Benni just groans weakly, “It’s just I was thinking about yesterday, how Lahm and Klose were out there observing us and it got me conscious and then we both messed up. And then this book was supposed to be my only solace in these times and then this light won't cooperate. Now I just can’t stop thinking about yesterday.”

Slowly, Benni tilts his head towards Manu, his eyes wary, looking like he’s about to cry. “Manu, what if we never get into the senior team? I mean, some youth players, even if they were good in the U21s it is still isn’t enough for a call up. What if we—” Benni never got to finish another sentence as he finds himself locked into Manu’s chest. The taller man can feel Benni sobbing in his embrace, he doesn’t say another word but instead he hugs him even tighter. He presses his own body into Benni and he just remain still until he had cried himself out to calm down.

When Manu let go of Benni he sees him actually smiling at the taller man this time. After Benni has fixed himself up, he then says, “That cry was long overdue. Thank you for bearing with me Manu.” Manu grabs his hands and says, “Don’t worry about that. We don’t always have a good run, we mess up from time to time. Know that I will always do my best and I know you will too. And you said so yourself, we will win this right?”

Benni sobs, “And then the next world cup?”

“And the next world cup.” Manu said softly.

“And then a treble for Schalke?”  
“Yes, and a treble for Schalke.”

Manu taps Benni by his shoulder. “As long as we’re together, we will achieve many things. For country, club, and ourselves.”

Manu remained awake that night, thinking. Benni is in his bed, sleeping comfortably, snoring softly every once in a while. It’s been so long since he’d seen Benni have such a fulfilling rest. He wishes he could have some of that too. But unfortunately for him, this is one of those nights where insomnia strikes again. He thinks if this is the trade off for Benni having a good rest. If so, he doesn’t mind, he’d rather Benni rest than him anyway.

He thinks about Lahm and Klose visiting them personally. Many questions fill his head. What do they need? What are they observing? Why did they come personally? It must be important if they needed to see for themselves. He wonders if he really did mess it up. He can’t afford to make a bad impression to the both of them. What happens if he did not get a call up, that if he ends up not being enough for the senior team. He fears that he might not be able to fulfil his promise to Benni, and that cannot happen. He needs to do better. No, he must do better. And he will.

For Benni.

* * *

It must still be very early in the morning when Manu woke up to the sound of wood hitting concrete. He immediately stands up, wipes his eyes and surveys the entire room. It’s still dark, the blue tint of dawn still shrouding the entire room. But still, he is able to make out the clutter littered on the floor. Immediately his entire objective turns to finding Benni which doesn’t take long as he hears his voice repeatedly saying “no” in the bathroom, seemingly distressed.

Manu then rushes to his side and finds him in the sink trying, splashing his face with water. He grabs hold of him and says, “Hey, hey, I’m here, what happened to you Benni?”

“I think, I think I’m going blind, Manu.” Benni said in panic.  
  
“Blind? Blind how?” Manu asked.

“I don’t know. When I woke up, my eyes, my vision. It’s getting progressively darker.”

“What are you talking about, it’s early in the morning. The suns not even out yet.” Manu said.

“Manu, no, the sun has been up for a while now. It’s already past seven.” Benni said slowly. “Don’t tell me, you too?”

Manu then looks at Benni, fear slowly creeping to his entire body. He then runs to the side of his bed, retrieving his phone. It’s true, it is already past seven. 

But then why? Why is everything still dark. He stands up, and slowly marches to the glass door leading to the balcony. He then flings the curtain open and sees the morning sky with the sun already up, except everything outside is also shrouded with the blue tint. He stares at the sight with horror in his eyes. Is his vision, broken? Are they going blind? What happens now? Surely this is only a temporary thing, right? An effect, due to missing sleep. Surely this will all be over. It’s just the two of them not getting enough rest adding to the stress and the strain of training. Right?

Right?

This can’t be real, Manu thinks. No, this can’t be real, his vision was just fine a few hours ago why does this happen now? And this sudden too? He snaps his eyes shut, hoping that when he opens it again, his eyes will be back to normal. But no, it doesn’t it still the same.

He can feel his heart pounding. His head throbbing with pressure. His breathing hastens as he starts to feel light on his knees. And in all of a sudden he prays, begs and rages at the sametime. Why this, why now, why them? Manu doesn’t know what to do, he doesn’t— 

“Manu, you’re glowing.” Benni said.

Benni’s voice grounds Manu back to earth as he slowly turns towards him and finds him staring at Manu with wonder in his eyes. Slowly, Manu raises his hands and sees a faint glow on his skin, dimming and then brightening up again, as if it’s matching his breathing. And then confusion sets into Manu as he sees the glow even brighter slowly as the moment passes by. He then looks up at Benni but is immediately distracted by the light bulbs also glowing as well. And then it the light becomes too intense it actually looks like it’s about to explode.

And then it does, a bulb on a lamp on the corner nearest to Manu shatters. The light spilling out like ink in water. Manu approaches it slowly, the light spill seemingly going to his direction as well. When he goes near it, the light then goes to his right hand, diving onto it. He observes the veins in his arms glow brighter, the light seemingly flowing through his blood.

He then suddenly feels a sharp pain that makes him scream out loud. Benni rushes to his aid but Manu looks at him sharply and says, “Stay away!”

Benni stops in his tracks in shock, but resumes walking slowly to Manu. Another sharp pain stabs on Manu’s chest as three more bulbs in the room glow up.

“Get out of here!” He commands to Benni as the bulbs explode one by one, except this time it isn’t spilling out light but crystals growing from the bulbs. It slowly grows, extending out. Manu then notices all three crystals are growing towards Benni.

“Get out. Now!” He shouts, with all of the intensity he can muster. The crystals speeds out in growth as Benni crawls backwards, and stumbles to the door as one of the crystals immediately shoots out, extending to where Benni once was standing, piercing the floor. This makes Benni rush out, but before he runs out of the room he takes one more look at Manu.

“Go!” Manu shouts once more as the two other crystals shoot out as well.

Manu slowly stands up, the pain intensifying as he exerts effort on his body. He notices all of the bulbs glowing out as well. He rushes to the exit, not wanting to be stabbed by the crystals. He slams the door shut, and he can hear muffled sounds of glass shattering, wood breaking, and concrete cracking before he heads out to the fire exit.

As he runs, he notices other light sources in the hallway behaving similarly, making him run even faster to avoid doing damage. But all of it shatter one by one anyway. Manu dodges broken glass being thrown out in front of him. He doesn’t look back, he needs to get out of this building now. Out to where there’s no one that can be harmed. He stumbles down the fire exit staircase, almost taking every shortcut of a step possible, sliding down the rails, jumping down three steps when he can. The lower half of his body hurts with the impact, but right now it doesn’t matter. What’s important the exit, and thankfully it’s near with only just a few distance more. His knees hurt from running non stop, his breath heavy and strained, the stinging pain stabbing his sides, but he doesn’t stop, he cannot stop.

He almost tackles the door open and stumbles outside and continues running out. As soon as he hits the sun, for a moment he was flashed with a blinding light and then slowly the world around him dims into a dark blue hue. He can see thin threads of light coming from every direction entering his body. His veins radiates a gold and red glow highlighting every vessel on his skin.

He looks out in the distant windows on every building, and each of them a light flashes and then fades out funneled into a thin thread of light that travels to him.  
  
Is he absorbing every light in the city?

Manu feels his hand getting hotter. A glance reveals it looking like coal, sizzling in its own embers what with all the small blood vessels glowing. A pressure builds up in his chest, punching out of him, demanding to be let out and suddenly a sharp piercing pain manifests all around his body. He grabs his head, almost pulling his hair out due to the sheer drumming pain that keeps banging on it.

And then the pain stacks onto each other drilling onto him, he can do nothing else but let out a loud wail, releasing the pent up pressure in his body. A shockwave emits out of him and swiftly it travels out shattering all light sources around him. Light bleeds out like honey in every lamp post, in every bulb socket and all of a sudden all of it turn to solid with a high pitch screeching of crystals rubbing against each other.

Manu’s legs turn weak as he struggles to keep himself up. Eventually he gives in, falling to his knees. He can only watch in agony as the world around him becomes even more darker. He can hear distressed chatter around him as people leave the buildings, trying to see where the sun has gone and what is this mysterious man doing outside in agony.

A lady walks with caution near Manu in an attempt to inspect him. Manu cannot let her near him, but he is unable to do anything. He is scared that the slight movement from him would cause another shockwave and endanger the lady. So he remains there groaning in pain in an attempt to keep in whatever is manifesting.

And then— 

“An eclipse!” The lady exclaims with glee, making Manu look up suddenly curious to this odd change of tone. He then finds a small man beside the lady, his hand hovering over her. Manu tries to look closer to the man.

“Philip Lahm?” He said, confused.

Philip looks at Manu for a brief moment and then back at the lady. “You’re seeing a solar eclipse,” he said as he steps away from her and gazes on the people gathered around them. “All of you are seeing a solar eclipse,” and each and every bystander, moving in a dazed sluggish pace, used their hands to shield their eyes from the sun looked up for a while and then turned back and walked away from the scene. All of them do this in unison, like they are connected in a hive mind.

Philip rushes near Manu and he panics as he tries to warn him not to come closer. And in that moment crystals grow outwards from where Manu stands making a barrier, and then shatters into gold dust immediately.

“Do it now, Fips.” Another voice commands behind Manu, an authoritative, familiar voice.

Philip takes a stance, pinning his legs to the ground, he then extends both of his arms and waves on the space in front of his chest, like forming a sphere. Manu can see glowing dust gathering from where Philip is circling his hands. He then aims his arms at Manu, the dust now circling his palms, he shoots a beam of it onto Manu but despite him not doing anything an invisible barrier is blocking his abstraction. “I cannot, Miro. You need to subdue him. I have to get closer.”

Miro then steps closer to Manu, “Stay away, I might hurt you.” He says, weakly. Miro doesn’t budge, he just looks down at Manu and says, “No, you cannot. But I’m afraid this will be painful. Forgive me Manu.” And a ball of blue light glows out of his right hand. He then opens his palm and pushes it directly to the center of Manu’s chest.

A wave of pain runs over Manu as he screams once more. Like before, he sends another shockwave but this time it doesn’t travel far before it gets absorbed back to his body, sending another wave of pain to him. Miro steps away, now his right hand is connected with a link of blue light connected on Manu’s chest. “Now Phillip!” He commands.

Philip then runs to Manu and places both of his hands directly on his head. His thumbs pressing against his forehead. He closes his eyes and concentrates. Slowly Manu feels his pain alleviating and then it washes off too quickly leaving him in a cold numbing sensation. He then feels heavy on his eyes, as if he was falling asleep. He isn’t sure what is happening and every muscle in his body is commanding him to resist it, to stay awake. Eventually he gives in, allowing his mind to relax and shut off, his eyelids gently slides shut, and with his final breath he says, “Help me.”

And before he completely blacks out, he hears Philip reply with a faint, “I will.”

* * *

Manu wakes up standing. His knees doesn’t feel wobbly at all and in fact, he feels very invigorated. It’s like he wasn’t just writhing in pain all over his body. He feels refreshed, as if he just took a long fulfilling sleep. And although his vision remains blurred, he could make out the orange pinkish hue of the afternoon sky. He must’ve blacked out for four hours.

“No, actually, you’re still blacked out Manu.” Philip says, alerting Manu.

He then rubs his eyes and as his vision comes to focus he just lays eyes on an endless horizon. There are no buildings, no trees, no concrete. There is no pavement as Manu noticed when he looked down. He is only met by his distorted reflection by the ripples from where he lifted his foot. He is standing still on unmoving water. His feet feels strange because his brain is telling him that he should be sinking now but he isn’t he feels a weird bouncy jelly like surface on his feet.

A figure slowly fades in front of him. It was Fips. “Welcome, to your mind.” He declares.

“Normally, this would be a chaotic place since so much things runs through our thoughts regularly but for now, you’re relaxed. Your core is subdued by Miro’s abstraction so you won’t be causing any harm to others, and your mind is under my Phantasm so you won’t be causing any harm to yourself.”

“Phillip Lahm!” Manu said, wide eyed, and he would’ve said something more but a pressing realization dawned on him. He steps back and looks at his hands with remorse, “Did I hurt anyone?” Manu asked, clearly concerned.

“Fortunately, no.” Philip answered. He is surprisingly calm despite everything that is currently happening. “It was a good thing that I forced Miro to stay, did you know that we were supposed to leave the city today? We were observing if your abstraction would manifest yesterday but it was pretty uneventful. But I had a hunch.”

“Oh and call me Fips.”

“Fips,” Manu said. “What’s happening to me?”

“Well, I would congratulate you if only you hadn't caused such a mess.” Fips said. “But no, don’t worry, this is normal and expected even, when first timers manifest their abstractions.” He immediately adds as he notices the distress in Manu.

“What is my abstraction?” Manu said.

Fips then pinches his chin, thinking. “We can’t say for sure, but we promise we’re going to help you stabilize your core until you learn how to control your abstraction.”

“How long will I be out?” Manu asked once more.

“That I don’t know.” Fips said, and he really doesn’t. There’s solemnity in his voice that worries Manu. “It might take a few days, some take months.”

“How about your abstraction. How long did it take for you to control it?” Manu said.

“Mine took about eight weeks.” Fips replied. “But don’t worry, like I said, we will be helping you. We need you for the U21s. Plus, I know that you can overcome this quickly.”

Fips then turns away from Manu to observe the sky. “I’ve seen you stumble and fall. You quickly stand right up unfazed. Always ready to take another shot, ready to correct mistakes. And no matter how many times things get past you, you still stand strong. I’ve seen that yesterday. I like that. Qualities for a leader.”

“So you guys were observing me?” Manu asked.  
  
Fips smiled at Manu.. “No, we were observing many of you.” Fips stops, “But then, we were checking out if your manifestation is anomalous, so yeah, kind of.”

“There’s a lot of promising people in U21s this year. You and your newly manifested abstraction. Howedes and his Hurricane—”

“Benni named his abstraction Hurricane?” Manu said, almost laughing, then he stops and apologizes for interrupting Fips.

“Yes, although he’s still thinking about it. He said it sounds silly so he’d like it to not be in the permanent records yet. As I was saying, Hummels with his Mist, Boateng with his Reboot, and Ozil with his Polarity. You were the last of them that manifested, seemingly saving the best for last,” Fips continued.

“Impressive, all of you, that Miro himself requested to oversee your promotion.”

“We’re getting considered to be promoted?” Manu asked with a bit of excitement over his voice. When he caught on this he straightened himself up, afraid of giving Fips an overly excited impression.

“You’re already promoted. Well, the Order has processed it at least, but since the DFB is their front in the outside world we still have to follow the process that is known.”

Manu can’t help but smile at the thought that they’re finally promoted in the senior team. That they will be the players that the whole of Germany will look after for the upcoming tournaments.

“Still,” Fips said, his voice now with a tone of authority. “You were given a swift process thanks in part of your performances on the pitch. I would like all of you to maintain or even improve on that.”

His sudden change of tone sent a chill down to Manu. Is this a threat? A challenge? A reminder? Of course they can’t be too complicit just because they’re guaranteed a spot now. Well Manu has no plans of letting the team down anyway so this just makes him even more determined to win this years U21 European Championship.

“Don’t worry, we have no plans falling out anyway.” Manu said.

“Oh? Is that why you conceded six goals yesterday?” Fips said. “You know, Miro said he’d rather have a blind goose on the goal post.”

Manu’s face turns red. Quickly, the muscles in his throat twitch, forcing a word to come out to defend himself. “I… I was manifesting my abstraction since yesterday, I didn’t, I didn’t, I couldn’t possibly—“

“I know, I was just messing with you.” Fips said, smirking at him.

Manu fixes himself to save face, obviously flustered. 

“Plus, I know you will push through. You guys have a big journey ahead of you.” Fips said, looking up at the clouds with a serene hopeful look on his face.

“How do you know?” Manu asked.

Fips closed his eyes and chuckles a bit. He then looks at Manu and says, “I have a hunch.”

* * *

“Multiple space organizations around the globe are puzzled with the unusual eclipse that happened in Europe spanning across East of The Neth—“

The report was interrupted when the TV shuts off. Benni marches in, remote control in hand keen on talking to Manu. 

“Hey I was watching that!” Manu said in protest.

Benni rolls his eyes. “I’ve heard that about twenty million times already this morning. The way the outside world narrates anomalies caused by people like us is boring. They really do have a need to try to squeeze in science even if there is no other logic to go to.” Benni rants.

  
  


“That’s the only explanation they can get. We are after all hidden. The world would erupt into chaos when they learn about us. So that’s why we needed to—“

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, are you sure that Fip’s Phantasm has really worn off of you? You’re even more preachier than before.” Benni said. “Plus, I demand an explanation after you almost turned me insane for the past few days.” He then jumps onto Manu’s bed.

“Careful, you’ll disturb the runes!” He said in panic. Manu has been in bed rest since the incident. He is not actually sick, but his newly manifested abstraction is still unstable that Miro needed to have five plates engraved with symbols that holds some of his own abstraction to regulate Manu. Of course, Manu cannot really go around with five levitating glowing plates following him so he has no choice but to stay in his room.

Benni taps one plate and wobbles up and down giving off a faint hum while it returns to its position, almost like it’s protesting Benni. “From Miroslav Klose himself, you’re quite the special treatment Manu.” Benni said. He then inches closer to Manu. “Okay I know that those two probably got you some agreement to not tell on whatever you and Fips discussed while he was inside your head.” He whispered, as if anyone would hear them.

“He said nothing.” Manu answered immediately in the most normal tone of his voice that Benni’s face quickly dropped into disappointment.

“What? Nothing? You must be joking?” He complained.

“I’m not.” Manu denied again, this time looking straight into Benni’s eye with unwavering eye contact. Benni rolled his eyes in irritation. “You clearly are lying. I can see it.”

“Oh? Is mind reading your abstraction now? So Hurricane must’ve gone past you.” Manu said with a smug grin.

Benni’s face went pink. “How did you— I told Fips that it’s not yet a permanent name for my abstraction.” he said in defense. And he is about to say more, probably close to listing runner ups for his selection as he gets to counting his fingers.

“Keep it.” Manu said, surprising Benni. “I like it. It sounds loud, strong, destructive.” He continues. “You really think so?” Benni asked, still unsure. He thinks that Manu is making fun of its name. “Yep, suits you fine as you’re also loud, strong and destructive.” Manu said with a soft chuckle.

“Hey.” Benni yells. Manu braces himself as he was sure that Benni is going to hit him but he sees him actually pleased with himself. “I’ll keep it then, if you say so.”

“How about yours? Have you named it yet?”

Manu looks to the distance, thinking. He quickly drops the thought and just shrugs at the question. “I haven’t even learned to control it yet. Maybe soon when I can manage to not have it my crystals shatter on me.”

“And when will that be?” Benni said. There is a particular solemnity in his voice, something that Manu doesn’t hear often. And when he does, he knows that Benni is truly concerned. “Talks are that you might be out for the entire season.”

“Entire season?” Manu said in a mild disbelief. He then looks at his right arm for a while. Manu then closes his eyes and lets exhales out a long breath, trying to focus his will on his arm. His veins started giving off a faint glow as it traces through his entire arm up to his chest. The plates then started wobbling in their position and gave off a faint pitched whistle, but still Manu sustains his abstraction on his arm for a while until finally he gives up. He lets out a groan and the glow dissipates.

“You alright?” Benni asked.

“Yeah, I was just,” Manu trails off. Everyday he tries to gauge his control of his abstraction, he measures how much pain it gives him to use it and how weak it leaves him afterwards. He’s been seeing steady progress with it, but he needs to master it sooner. He needs to show Fips that he can make the cut for being in the senior team. “I think I can learn to regulate my abstraction well enough that it doesn’t drain me entirely. I need to. Give it six days or a week and a bit. Just enough that I can lose these plates.”

The plates then glows a little brighter and gives a faint whistle of protest.

Manu is determined. This will be his first challenge. He can show Miro and Fips that can overcome this. That Miro’s faith in them is not misplaced.

“I will come back stronger Benni, I promise.” He said. Benni then looks to him and smiles. There is also this flare of resolve to his eyes. And suddenly Manu doesn’t feel nervous with his situation anymore. Benni will be there for him and he knows he can count on his best friend. “And we will win and then we’re all going straight to the senior team.” Manu said.

“Did Fips tell you that?” Benni asked.

Manu laughs at Benni. “No.” he said, making the other looked puzzled. Benni looks at him in a weird way, his mouth frowning, his eyebrows raised, his stare pointed. He probably thinks Manu is still out of his head due to the incident. 

Manu gives a patient sigh and then looks outside, the sun is gleaming and everything seemed to look so lush and lively. He imagines himself walking under the daylight, basking in its warmth. He imagines the cool breeze brushing past him. He imagines the random chatter, the distant sounds of engines, the crisp rustling of leaves, and the rough crunch of concrete. It’s a shame that he couldn’t go out, but he still can’t help but feel a little invigorated thinking about the future. He’s sure it’s going to be just as bright as the day outside.

He then looks at Benni once more and gives him a serene smile.

“But I have a hunch.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some background info:
> 
>   1. Abstraction is the in universe term for superpowers. People that possess abstractions are called Abstractors.
>   2. Each Abstractors undergo manifestation. Some are tame, some even go unnoticed but powerful manifestations occur that needs to be dealt with by that nations' Order.
>   3. Powerful manifestations may occur during times of emotional stress
>   4. A child can show signs of being an Abstractor, however, methods of determining their abstractions early on are yet to be discovered.
> 



	2. 2017: The Backups

“Get up Alex!” Niklas Stark said as he tries to pull a dazed Alexander Nubel up. 

He almost took a direct hit from an explosion. Thankfully at the last minute, Thilo Kehrer’s spectral clones shoved him out of harm's way. However, the explosion left him in scrambles, his ears are ringing, his mind in static, and his limbs seemingly disobeying every orders to move.

Slowly his senses started to reboot as he starts to feel shattered rocks and the rough ground beneath him and the strong tug from Niklas as he tries desperately to get him moving.

“Oh yeah. I must live.” A voice in his head tells him as his senses snapped back to full operation. With Niklas’s support he pushes himself up and starts to run away, retreating from the enemy.

More explosions can be heard from the direction of the enemy. Thilo must be doing well holding it back. He is, afterall, an army of one. Its impressive how he is holding the enemy off despite recently manifesting his abstraction, dubbed Spectre.

Niklas then lets go of Alex for a while and tucks his arms into his body, his palm facing up, his hands closed into a knuckle. He simultaneously pushes his arms up, punching the air. In the distance the ground began to shake as four thick walls made of boulders rose up forming a small pyramid. Niklas and Alex then slides inside the pyramid for shelter.

The explosions go louder, as if it’s approaching them. The walls of the pyramid shakes with every explosion, and Alex looks around it with a wary eye. But Niklas taps his shoulder with a firm grasp and says, “Don’t worry, this will hold up.”

After a while Thilo slides inside the small pyramid from the small gap that Niklas left. With one wave of his arm, the gap is sealed shut.

“Thilo!” Niklas said in relief as he goes and hugs him tightly. When they let go he immediately asks, “How many clones do you have right now?”

“Three.” Thilo said. Niklas gives him a worried frown and was about to say something but Thilo got to it first, “Don’t worry. I can keep it up. We practiced, right?” He gave Niklas a reassuring smile and immediately turned his attention to Alex.

“Are you hurt?” He asked.

“Still dazed. Thank you for saving me.” Alex said.

“Do you have any idea what that guy is?” Niklas asked.

Alex stares at Niklas, the other anticipating for an explanation. But the truth is, Alex doesn’t know either. He was sent by the Order on a pursuit mission. Right now regret and frustration is filling his head. He should’ve known that something is off with this mission but being so eager to prove himself he took it on anyway. He’s also angry at the Order for sending him Niklas and Thilo for backups when clearly this is a target that needed to be dealt with seriously.

Not that he thinks lowly of the three of them, he’s just afraid that they’ll be killed in this mission. Killed not only for underestimating a mission, but also because of his arrogance and stubbornness.

“I don’t know, not even the order knows apparently. I was following it, but the entire time it was leading me into a trap.” He said.

Three simultaneous explosions erupt from outside the pyramid. Thilo gasps as he slightly thrown back. Alex and Niklas immediately faces him as Thilo looks at the underside of his arm, there are three glowing circles etched on his skin. One blue, one yellow and the other red, which is now flickering on and off until it finally dimmed out. The blast must’ve defeated one of his spectres.

There was another explosion, and the boulder the three are hiding under suffered from it showing bigger cracks all around it. 

“One more hit and it will fall.” Niklas said.

Niklas goes down to his knees and presses both of his knuckles to the ground. Slowly he raises it until it's on level with his chest. The boulder levitates along it. Finally he punches the air twice and the boulder splits into two as it flies towards the enemy. Immediately he raises four more to cover the three of them.

The target sends another barrage of explosions as Niklas tries to keep their rock shield intact.

The explosions stop and for a moment it’s gotten quiet. Niklas prepares to take off the shield in order for them to move out and attack but Alex stops him. It’s gotten too quiet. Then a crack forms on one side of the shield as a thin rod of lightning pierced through it. The rod then moves upwards, slicing it open. Four more rods pierce through the shield, one almost stabbing Thilo’s leg, making him look at Alex with horror.

"I thought you said this guy's abstraction is just explosions!" Thilo said in panic.

"I did." Alex answered. He is certain that the target’s abstraction is making explosions. That’s why he drew it out, away from the people. Unless he’s been mistaken and there’s actually two people during the attack.

“We need to attack, I’m putting the shield down.” Niklas said. Alex nods at him as he prepares himself for an attack.

Niklas broke down the boulder that was in front of him, giving him a clear sight of the target. There it levitates, unmoving, a man, or at least a silhouette of a man. What he sees is a featureless blob of silver shaped like a human being. And that featureless blob is looking directly at them, slowly raising its arms to attack. Niklas quickly launches all of the boulders towards the enemy. One boulder shattered with a direct hit of lightning but the two others hit it. 

A cloud of dust covers the target, but Alex isn’t sure if the enemy got knocked out. When the wind blows away the dust the three stare in shock as they see they see the enemy remains unscathed. Its right arm extended, its palm open as it holds up a transparent crystal-shaped barrier encasing it.

"Impossible." Alex said.

"Three abstractions?" Thilo asked.

Alex extends his arms to his side, his palms open wide. Small rocks and pebbles start to shake and quiver. He then immediately points at the enemy as each and every rock scattered fly towards it in such speed, it gives off a high pitched whistle.

As Alex carries on with his attack, Thilo summons back his remaining spectres. Two copies of him appears on his sides. The clones look like ghosts. Its transparent body emitting a small aura of its respective colors that resembles ember. A violet flare glows behind his arm as a violet spectre manifests in front of him and goes into an attack position, holding its arms up. Niklas also prepares for an assault as he pushes his knuckles on the ground once more cracking the ground around them.

The barrier, now badly cracked is starting to emit sparks at every hit. Alex then fixes his position as he shoots off more rocks at an even faster speed and stronger force that some of it doesn’t look visible in its trajectory.

Finally the barrier shattered, throwing off the silver entity. Alex falls to his knees, catching his breath as that attack strained him severely. Niklas and Thilo steps up. Niklas nods at Thilo as he sends three of his spectres at the enemy.

The three spectres runs towards it and stops for a while, assuming a position, ready to jump. Niklas and Thilo looks at each other as Niklas launches the three clones up by sending the ground they were standing on flying. The enemy, predictably shatters the boulder but not before the three spectres jumped from it.

The blue spectre lands on the enemy first, punching it as it fell down. The enemy gets thrown out of balance as the yellow and violet spectres latches on its arms. It struggles to let go from the spectres, unable to aim an explosion on Thilo, Niklas and Alex on the ground.

“Now!” Thilo shouts as Niklas raises the ground below the enemy making a crater the size of a house. Boulders fly towards it sandwiching the enemy in the center making a giant sphere.

Niklas remains holding his arms up keeping the sphere together. And for a while nothing seems to happen, but he keeps it up anyway. Until the sphere shook from the center making long cracks on its surface. The enemy seems to have made an explosion from the inside. But Niklas holds his stance, determined to not be bested by the enemy.

Then a silver liquid starts oozing out from the cracks, traveling upwards, going on top of the sphere. The three watches in shock as the silver liquid joins up slowly forming back to itself starting from its feet.

But it goes even further. Formerly featureless, it started to imitate the details of a person. It forms a face, its own hair, veins on its arms and once its done, color appears on its surface, now imitating human skin. Thilo steps back, Alex’s eyes widen and Niklas’s arms weaken in horror as he sees the enemy turn into his image.

Niklas then groans in pain as he lets go of the sphere crashing it down in the crater below the enemy. The enemy now looks at the three with a blank expression as it slowly raises its right arm. The rocks below rising along with it. The enemy then holds its palm up, facing the three. All of the rocks simultaneously shoot towards the three of them.

Alex, Thilo, and Niklas now strained from over using their abstractions tries to push themselves up but the sheer shock of it all makes their legs freeze. And for a moment, they’ve almost accepted the fact that this is the end. That they can do nothing now but brace themselves for the inevitable.

Alex closed his eyes, never did he imagine that he will meet his end being buried under a pile of rocks. He just hopes that the pain will be quick.

Alex then feels a hand on his shoulder, patting him gently. “Not today kid.” a familiar voice said. Alex opens his eyes to see Manuel Neuer, holding his other arm up. It glows in a magnificent shade of gold, his veins shimmering. A barrier suddenly manifested around them. A transparent crystal like dome, shielding them. The rocks bounce on it with dull thuds.

Once the assault was over, Manu retracts the shield. “You did good,” Manu said. “We’ll take it from here.”

Alex, Thilo and Niklas stares in awe as Bastian Schweinsteiger steps forward alongside Manu.

“You know, if I remove Miro’s capping I could annihilate that thing with a single punch.” Basti said.

“Miro strongly advised against that Basti.” Manu protested.

“Half cap, then?”

“Fine, but be quick so he can restore it immediately.”

Manu looks at the enemy, still with the face of Niklas. He notices small cracks on the surface of it and from where the cracks are the colors are washed out, some even so big that it’s back to being its usual silver color. “Van Dijk’s right.” he said. 

“So what do I do.” Basti replied.

Manu looks at him and gives a smug smile. “What you do best.”

  
“Shield the kids, then.”

Manu raises his arm once more as dome forms around them. Basti places his arm in front of his forehead and twists it, as if unlocking a knob. All four of his limbs then gives off a bright blue aura in form of cracks. He looks at the other four, his eyes burning with a bright blue glow and says, “Enjoy the show.”

He then punches his palm and glances side to side. Basti then yells out as he runs out of the shield towards the enemy. It then sends giant boulders at Basti, but he doesn’t even dodge it. He just bulldozes through it. Basti then jumps up arching towards the enemy, his fist up ready to punch it down. Blue sparks emits from his trajectory as he lands down with the enemy sending out a cloud of dust and rubble.

Basti grabs it by its collar and punches its face, the sheer force sends a shockwave that disperses the cloud of dust making the entire scene visible to the four at the back. The cracks on the fake Niklas grow bigger as its details distorts back to its silver appearance, now looking corroded, stricken with rust like black lesions on its surface.

Alex and Thilo glances at Niklas awkwardly as he cringes by the sight of him getting beat up by Basti himself. Manu just stand there, holding up the crystal dome, also resisting the force of Basti’s power. He looks impatient as he rolls his eyes on the scene.

One more punch and the enemy stumbles back, the remnants of Niklas’s appearance now severely distorted almost unrecognizable at this point. It tries to stand up, raising its arm making boulders around them shake. Basti would finish it already but instead, he observes the enemy in front of him. The cracks swiftly taking over its surface, the once silver like surface is now covered with corrosion, as if it were dipped in acid. It then ceases moving and its extended arm turns to dust, slowly along with its entire body.

Manu retracts the shield and approaches Basti, also observing what became of the enemy. Pieces of it, looking like thin gray shredded paper, getting blown and disintegrated by the wind.

Basti looks at Manu with a big grin on his face, “I needed that. Too bad Lukas wasn’t here.”

“Stark!” Thilo shouted, catching the attention of Manu and Basti. The two immediately rush towards Alex, Thilo and the now fainted Niklas.

“Call Fips,” Manu commanded to Basti. “Let’s get him to base.”

* * *

When they arrived, Alex did not even get a chance to see Niklas being treated. Manu steered him away immediately.

“But I need to see—” 

“They will be fine.” Manu said.

There is a heaviness in his voice. Manu’s movements are rushed as he almost drags Alex to his pace.   
  
“Where are we going Manu?” Alex asked.

Manu doesn’t answer.

“Where are you taking me?” Alex asked again, this time with a little exasperation in his voice.

Manu stops. He then turns to Alex and looks at him straight in the eye.

“I made a mistake. I should’ve never sent you out alone. I should’ve never sent those two for backups. I should’ve never underestimated your mission. If something happens to Niklas Stark it's all on me.” Manu said. Alex doesn’t answer. All he feels right now is worry for Niklas as well, adding to the shock of almost dying. Somehow he wants to be angry at Manu, for making a monumental slip up almost sending all three of them to their deaths. But he can’t. He’s too shaken to be angry.

The rest of the journey was in awkward silence. The only thing that can be heard is the solid tapping of their boots on the tiled floor and the mechanical whirring of the walls. The distant chatter also died down. Alex assumed that they must be on the part of the base where only a few is authorized to be in. The hallways and corridors they pass through are getting emptier, less familiar. The locks and gates are thicker and more secure.

They stop in front of a huge metal door that looked heavily guarded. Manu instructs Alex to move away from him as he steps into a pad beside the door. After the sound of steam being released there is a faint whistling as a barrier enclosed Manu and a laser descends on him, scanning his body. Once it’s over the door shook as pistons, gears and many more mechanical parts come to life. 

It opens up to a pitch black room. While Alex is careful in walking in the darkness, Manu just marches in like its nothing. Alex then follows behind him, assuming that Manu has been here a thousand times before. In the middle of what seemingly nowhere is a lit circle pad that is elevated from the floor. 

Manu then steps onto the pad but Alex just stops outside it. He turns and looks at Alex and raises an eyebrow and then gesturing him to enter as well. So with hesitation, Alex does.

And as soon as he did, a small rectangular interface was projected in front of Manu. He then taps on it. The platform then vibrates and gives off a whirring sound as four straight lines of white light glow on the floor connecting to four more lit circular pads in front of them.

“Alex,” Manu said. Alex looks up to Manu with a slight nervousness in his face. Manu just smiles at him and says, “Fix yourself, you’re about to face the captains of France, Spain, England and the Netherlands.”

Alex then straightens his posture, flattens his clothes, hand combs his hair in an attempt to look prim and proper. And suddenly a pillar of light shot up from the four pads in front of them and immediately disperses. Then static builds up for a moment as the image projected from the pads stabilizes, slowly showing the four captains that Manu contacted. First was Virgil van Dijk, from The Netherlands, then Harry Kane from England, then Hugo Lloris from France and finally Sergio Ramos from Spain.

“Good day to you captains.” Manu greets. And the change of tone has taken aback Alex. He sounds, firm, strong and authoritative. Much different than the Manu earlier that gave him a warm smile and told him to fix himself. No, this is different. This is the Manuel Neuer, captain of the German National Team reporting on an urgent matter.

“With me right now is Alexander Nubel, from our U21s. Earlier today I sent him on a pursuit mission of a mysterious entity. The same entity that your teams clashed with.”

“Or rather the same minion.” Sergio Ramos interrupts. “I know that Thiago together with Javi has disintegrated the entity that attacked Bilbao.” A rectangular display replaces the image of Sergio Ramos. It is a clip showing that exact moment. There’s the same silver entity that Alex fought, tumbling down itself as Javi Martinez turn the ground it stood on to lava. A beam of white light then hits it, coming from Thiago Alcantara in the distance. When the light disappears, the entity stood there, looking corroded, turning to ash just like what happened earlier.

“Can you confirm that this similar to what you encountered Alex?” Manu asked.

“Why are you asking the kid, did you not see it yourself?” Hugo Lloris asked afterwards.

“When I arrived, the entity has taken the form of one of the backups that I sent to go after Nubel. It seems to have also copied his abstraction. Just like what Virgil reported.”

“Do you have any recorded footage?” Harry Kane asked.

“Unfortunately, we do not. The entity lured Alex away from Pähl. You’re going to have to take our word for it.” Manu replied.

“Alexander Nubel, what were your observations when you encountered this entity.” Virgil van Dijk asked.

Alex’s heart sunk as fear floods his body. He is being asked by the captain of the Netherlands. He looks up to Manu, hesitating to speak. Manu looks back at him with a nod of approval.

“When I clashed with it, I thought its abstraction was only being able to create explosions.” Alex said as he looked down, clearly nervous. He doesn’t know that he is rubbing his hands together. Alex looks up to Manu once more, then back to the other captains. He then realizes that all of them are waiting for the rest of what he has to say. He stammers on his words as he resumes.. 

“However, when Niklas Stark and Thilo Kehrer arrived, it started to use other abstractions such as lightning and a barrier. Eventually it copied also copied Niklas Stark’s earth abstraction after being encased in a sphere of rocks.” Alex explained.

“Explosions and Lightning. Pavard and Lenglet’s abstractions.” Hugo said. “Those two were the ones I sent to counter this entity.”

“And the barrier, Kyle Walker.” Harry added.

“It seems that my theory is correct.” Virgil van Dijk said. “When de Jong and de Ligt encountered the entity it copied de Jong’s abstraction once he was able to land a clear hit.” A rectangular display replaces Virgil’s image as well, this time showing de Jong, his knuckles pressed on the ground as roots erupt from it and pierces through the entity. It moves away from the branches that struck it, with a large gaping hole in its chest. Then it fills back up with a silver liquid. It then quickly copies the gesture that de Jong took and sends back the roots and branches he created back to de Jong. Then a large eagle, ridden by de Ligt swoops down and takes away de Jong.

“Hold on,” Manu said. “Can you turn back to the exact moment where de Jong hit the entity.” The clip then rewinds, showing the exact moment in slow motion. “There, it just stood there. Like it was waiting for it to be hit.” Alex looks closer at the clip, and there it is, the entity standing in a lax position without even any intent to defend itself. He knows that the entity can sometimes return to being idle. However, it always reacts quickly when it was being attacked.

“Manuel Neuer is right,” Alex interjects. All five captains look at him, making him feel small. “Sirs.” He adds. He feels ashamed of speaking out of turn and steps back, however Manu taps his shoulder, gesturing him to return forward beside him.

“I trust Alexander Nubel. He risked his life for this—”

“A risk that he had to take because you miscalculated, Manuel Neuer. That despite the intel collected by van Dijk you sent a 19 year old on a dangerous mission. But please tell me Manuel Neuer, why did the entity chose to lure him outside the city, while the attack happened inside our cities?” Sergio Ramos interrupted.

Alex looks at Manu, he can see the withheld anger in his face. But Manu remains still, looking at Ramos straight in the eyes, steadfast and dignified. He’s seen this before and it terrifies him to be in the presence of it everytime. It appals him personally that Sergio Ramos would instil doubt despite the severity of this situation. Isn’t the fact that they were almost killed not enough.

“Now, now Sergio. I do not see that the implications of your words are in good faith,” Hugo said calmly in an attempt to diffuse the tension. “I’m sure the light will be shed in this situation once I file a motion to the Grand Order. We will need to compile the findings of all the encounters. This is a threat, not just to France, England, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands, but the entire world. If this entity can really do what the Germans described, then we must be wary of all the faces we meet and all the words we say. This entity,” Hugo Lloris pauses.

“It walks among us.”

“I’ll have Thiago and Javi work on the compilation immediately.” Sergio Ramos said as he turns his back away and his image disappears. The light from the pad that projects it turns off with the line of light retracting back to the pad in the center.

“He does have a point though. In the suggestion that all of these entities come from a single source, I mean.” Virgil said. “I already have barrier wall around the country and erecting another one around our base will be extremely taxing for my everyday life. But I suppose I’d rather have my abstraction wither than to take a risk. I suggest all of you to do the same, one way or another.”

“But still, take care of yourself Virgil.” Harry Kane said.

“I will.” Virgil answered and he exits as well.

“I shall take my exit as well.” Harry Kane said as his display also turns off.

When Manu and Lloris were the only ones left on. Manu’s face lightens up, as if letting off a heavy burden.

“I’m sorry about the behavior of Ramos. You must understand, the Spaniards are recently troubled by the incidents of people with abstractions disappearing around their country.” Hugo apologizes.

“Do you believe us Hugo Lloris?” Manu asked.

Hugo smiled at him, “If the German National Team needs help. France will be there.”

And with that Hugo exits, leaving Alex and Manu on their own.


	3. 2019: Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just as they leave briefing, Niklas Sule voices concerns over Alexander Nubel's well being as Manuel Neuer seems to be frequently summoing him for a much more advanced ranking missions than their peers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to hydrogenperoxide for teaching me enlightenment that is Nule. And subsequently indulging me in my silly quickfics about them. This ship is life changing sksksks.

Alex and Niklas had just left the briefing room. They’ve been sent out by Manu for a recovery mission. A book containing with information that are too critical to be put on the Order’s database. Apparently it was half way through the country but the convoy was ambushed and the book was stolen. They are traveling to Köln where the assailants has been identified to be lurking. Actually it was only Alex that Manu summoned but he was given the liberty to choose a partner that his skills would be “in perfect sync” with, naturally Niklas was his first choice.

“Does it bother you?” Niklas said.

“What?” Alex replied.

“That Manu always sends you in very important missions.”

“If you’re worried that I’m not qualified enough I’ll have you know my usage of Inertia has improved significantly.” Alex pauses. “I don’t want 2017 to happen to me again. This time I want to be able to fend for myself.”

“I’m not—“

Alex faces him. “If you’re worried that I misjudged by choosing to have you as a partner. Maybe I should refer to the fact that we both have increased success rates when we team up.”

“No neither of those are my concern,” Niklas says slowly.

Alex stops. He takes a deep breath and gives a patient smile to Niklas. He then takes his hand and says, “Then what’s the problem?”

“Nothing really. And it is not that I doubt you but it’s just. The ranking of the missions that he assigns is often very advanced. Like, right now. We’re out here going after assailants of an important document of the German Order. Do you think whoever wanted it would send incompetent people? I think not.”

Niklas is right and if Alex is being honest he, too is sometimes worried about the increasing advancements of ranks that Manu assigns on him. His case is very unusual, not even Leon Goretzka, an accomplished Arcaneologist in that age, is given this much high ranking missions.

He was quite bitter of it sometimes. How much weight is being put on his shoulders, he’s not even in the senior team yet. However, ever since witnessing that captain’s conference two years ago and learning about the gravity that each captains really shoulder. He chose to drop his petty concerns.

But of course, Alex isn’t perfect. And what the heart feels, he can’t help it. It just so happens that his heart tells him to assist Manu and not betray the trust that he had given him. But his heart also tells him to heed Niklas’s concerns.

Niklas raises his right hand and runs the back of it on the side of Alex’s face. “Listen. I just don’t want you to be always on harm’s way. When I learned of that incident two years ago I was just angry. Angry at Manu for allowing you to go on your own, angry at you for insisting you go on your own, angry at the Order for letting this happen. But most importantly,” Niklas pauses as he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. When he opens it he looks at Alex straight in the eyes with a solid conviction and sincerity.

“I was angry at myself because I vowed that I would protect you. That I vowed that we’d be together, you know, policing our own stupid impulses.”

“Hey, but we’re together now, aren’t we?” Alex said, softly chuckling at Niklas, hoping he’d cheer up. To his relief Niklas softly scoffs at him, giving him a look that agrees with him. 

“I won’t let anything happen to you.” Niklas said.

“That’s literally your abstraction.” Alex replied.

“I know. I’m glad you tagged me along.”

* * *

The supplies that they’ve been given are light, which is appropriate given that this is a stealth mission. And that is Alex and Niklas, quiet, light yet effective. Sending someone with flashy abstractions would jeopardize the entire operation. But still, Alex muses, there’s Sami and Mesut, although their missions are mostly on gathering intel, that has got to be pretty stealthy as well, right?

“How about you, Nikki. Why do you think that Manu sends me in this kind of missions?” Alex asked.

“What I think?” Niklas pauses. He then looks behind him as if to check if someone could eavesdrop. He also leans at Alex’s ear making the other raise his eyebrow, puzzled.

“I think he’s preparing you, training you with advanced ranking missions.” Niklas whispers. He then backs away from Alex.

“For what?” Alex whispers back.

“The captaincy.”

“You really think so?”

“Well,” Niklas said. Before he continues, he then grabs Alex by the arm and slowly leads him out. As they walked to their next station Niklas continues, “Isn’t it obvious. It’s just the same with Manu and Fips. Before moving to the Grand Order, Fips had been giving Manu advanced ranking missions. It’s also the same with Fips before he was handed the captaincy.”

“I mean, of course, given that their abstractions are very powerful. I mean, no other captain could rival Fips’ Phantasm and Manu using his Solid Light is a sight to behold.”

“It’s like you’re implying that my Inertia isn’t impressive.” Alex said, giving Niklas a sly look. Niklas stares at him with an unimpressed face that says, ‘really?’ When they both face forward, Niklas side eyes Alex, thinking of trying to push some of his buttons.

“I mean, Serge’s Riptide? Kimmich’s Displacement? Or even Havertz’s Null. Yet he assigns it to you.”

“Wow, I’m pretty sure there’s shade in there somewhere.” Alex said, unimpressed. 

“Might be.” Niklas replied, side eyeing Alex.

Alex pinches Niklas’s sides making him stagger to the left. Alex then moves forward, walking faster than Niklas intent on leaving him behind. When Niklas stands up straight, he looks at Alex and smiles at himself, content with the trolling.

Niklas then jogs forward, catching up on Alex. “But seriously, what if Manu’s really priming you to inherit the captaincy. Tell me, has he been letting you in to his captain stuff? Have you been in a captain’s conference?”

Alex just abruptly stops, he then looks at Niklas, with a slight look of exasperation “I don’t know. I’m not even in the senior team at this point. How could I possibly become captain.” He then continues walking, not even minding if he’s leaving Niklas behind. Niklas jogs forward once again, catching up to Alex’s pace. But before he can even answer, the agent for their dispatch meets them and leads them to their transportation.

The ride to their drop off location has been pretty quiet and uneventful. After all, gossiping might reflect on their records, gossiping about the captain might give them trouble. He can’t help but think about his last question. The captain’s conference. A call that only happens when there’s a dire situation that concerns the five biggest Orders in Europe. And he’s been in one of them. Manu had been very particular about not letting anyone know that he participated in a call before. As he watches trees and buildings zoom past through a tinted window there is one question that plagues his mind.

What is Manuel Neuer’s plans with him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, okay so. I began this day feeling invigorated thinking wow, maybe I'll finish 2012: Revelations ft. Benni and Mats (coming soon I promise) then suddenly boom the news abt Nubel got out and apparently the Bayern fandom lost their minds and me, my mind was thrown out of orbit and I was never able to add a word to that chapter again SKSKSKSKSKSK.
> 
> Was about to call it a day but all this talk and speculation got my writing gears going so there you go. HAHAHA. But first! I am in no way endorsing the idea that Manu is prepping Alexander Nubel for the #1 GK spot of both Bayern and Germany NT (like I said, the dude isn't even senior team of the NT yet.) This is just me clowning around in my fic's universe.
> 
> As always, if you love this concepts or have some reactions please don't hesitate to drop a comment or a kudos. I will always appreciate feed backs regarding my writing or maybe even just tell me what you liked about this chapter, lets talk about it hahahaha.


	4. Why do we fight?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [POV] Joshua Kimmich falls in despair as he together with Serge Gnabry, Leon Goretzka and Niklas Sule get stuck in a mission.

When I was selected by the German Order, they sold us tales of grandeur, of glory. A chance to serve your country, and the world with the special gift bestowed upon you. That’s what they said. I fancied myself a warrior to a cause I believe in, a hero to the people I care about and a savior to the people important to me.

It was a lie.

“Joshua, behind!”

I turned and waved my hand. I didn't even know where the attack was coming from, or what it is. I opened up a teleport warp anyway. It’s a literal shot in the dark, nothing specific but it should be big enough to catch anything from whatever direction. If this would bypass the warp. I’d say it’s a fair death at least, I held up pretty good till the end.

And Nothing, then something exploded in the distance, right where I set up the other point of the warp. Good, I’m alive.

I picked up my pace right away. There’s no time to catch my breath. My eyes are set forward but I keep on the lookout still, for Serge. I could warp back to where Leon and Niklas are right now but I cannot leave him on his own. Not when I know I can help him.

I am not even sure what separated us. We weren’t ready. We went in blind thinking that our usual setup would suffice. Leon is a powerful abstractor, but he was more efficient as our eye in the sky. Serge’s Riptide is just as powerful as him anyway. Niklas provided cover for Leon while he’s vulnerable and I for Serge. 

The plan was, Leon would guide me, I warp me and Serge to the anomaly. He would eliminate it and warp back to Leon. Simple, efficient, another successful mission to report to Manu. Another box to check off his list. Like the other countless times he sent many of us on a mission.

I turn my head to my left. There was another comotion, followed by the sound of water crashing to the surface. Serge is under attack. I quickly turned to his direction, my knees sore, begging me to stop but I must push forward.

When I found him, he was shocked by my presence. He had his arms up, bullets made of water ready to be shot at the speed of sound formed behind him. I’ve never seen Serge this tense before, he usually was the most calm among all four of us. Seeing him like this only made me even more scared.

His eyes were shot open, his jaw grinding behind his lips that were shut, unable to speak of the horrors he’d seen. I dashed to him and got him under my embrace. I prepared a good chunk of my energy for a long warp. I held him tightly, almost sinking my clawed hands into his back.

I thought of Leon and Niklas holed up at their position. The space around us started to twist inwards. There were footsteps coming at us. I needed to be quick. This warp is taking a toll on me, my chest felt like it was collapsing, begging me to stop my abstraction at this instant.

There was metal in my tongue. I couldn’t breathe. I was just waiting for that click of instinct, a confirmation that my warp back to Leon is ready.

And there it was.

“Oh God! I’m glad you’re back.” Niklas exclaimed as he rushed towards the two of us. The distortion was still settling back to normal. Twisting outwards this time.

“Niklas, now!” Leon yelled. 

Niklas pulled back his Subspace, it was like a protective bubble where he can negate other abstractions. Leon’s eyes glowed light blue. He knelt, his right palm pressed on the ground. The glow extended to his arms with lines crawling down to his hand. He recited a few words.

The light escaped from him and traveled in what must be around eight meters to the ground in five directions. It stopped and shot upwards making a pillar each raising a thick barrier connected to one another.

We're safe, for now. I took this time to recover, immediately slamming my body to the cold hard ground. One heavy breaths after another getting as much oxygen as possible, recharging myself just in case we need one huge warp to safety.

Serge is sitting right beside me, his face buried on his arms. Leon was by him casting a recovery spell. He isn't a healer type but anything helps. Niklas is standing on guard, being a literal watch tower with the size of the guy.

The barrier that Leon erected is imposing, but it makes me feel safe. I hope that it will be enough for whatever lurked in the foggy darkness outside. We were sent here for a scout mission. Another one of those anomalies. I refuse to believe that the German Order, in its vast technological advances and diversity of Abstractors, has yet to have any idea what these anomalies are.

There must be something Manu is not telling us.

The ground shook as a blunt sound drummed from one of the barriers. I really do hope it holds up. I still don’t feel like I can warp us out of here. Serge is exhausted and Leon is rapidly exhausting himself with the barrier and aiding him. Niklas prepared a bubble of his Subspace around his arms.

Not that I have no faith in him, I’m not even sure if what we’re fighting is even a rogue Abstrator. Usually it was we just handled criminals with superpowers, but now the frequency of these anomalies might even suggest something paranormal. Something monstrous.

At least a criminal might have a conscience, hesitate, make a mistake but a monster would know nothing but pure destruction.

Is Manu making us fight against monsters now?

If so, then I didn’t ask for this. Now that I think about it. None of us really did. They told us we were being brave. They told us we were being selfless. They told us we were making a sacrifice. But a sacrifice means that we had to give it willingly. They lied to us. They stole it from us. The German Order is no different from the criminals they send us after.

We’re reduced to numbers, boxes to tick, data to graph. Nothing more than pieces to move. Pursue this, eliminate that, investigate this and then report. Mission success, mission failed. All of this means nothing now. Our missions were a way of patching up past failures, and future missions will be just for patching up our failures.

I wonder though, if all four of us fail here. Who will Manu send next? I suppose a team of four again, this is afterall a Class-A operation. A bunch of first team operatives with some exceptional ones from the U21s, ones with powerful abstractions balanced for pursuit, defense and offense.

Hopefully they’ll succeed where we failed. Hopefully that team will have a long streak of successes before they eventually fail. And so the gears continue to spin. The machine of lies continues producing tales of grandeur that will be sold to foolish kids like we were.

And then to save who? A bunch of people that only see us as football players? That was our front in the outside world after all. A bunch of spoiled rich kids living lavish lifestyles. I want to be angry at them, but they are just as innocent as we were.

And now I lay here, gasping like it’s my death bed. And like a dying old man, I call all three of my friends in a raspy labored voice. They all look at me, exhausted in their own ways. I exhaled deeply and finally asked.

“Why do we fight?”


	5. The New Recruits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [POV Julian Brandt]  
>  _Julian Brandt and Kai Havertz finally gets the call for promotion to be a first team operative. Bernd assured them that their first day should be light, boring even. However, Miroslav Klose says otherwise._

I looked at Kai taking proud strides as the two of us exited this tunnel. I wish I can display the same amount of confidence for myself. For the first time we were called to serve the first team of the German Order. Bernd reassured us that the first day is usually just an orientation tour to the first team authorized parts of the compound, a brief rundown of the critical processes. Combat training will follow in the coming weeks.

However, when Miroslav Klose himself asked the two of us if we were ‘combat ready’ that gave me a bad hunch. Kai of course, eager to prove himself immediately said yes. I hoped his overt enthusiasm compensated for my own obvious absence of it.

Are they sending us on a mission on the very first day?

I had forgotten which part of the compound we are in but I have a strong suspicion that we are walking towards the hangars. It must be if we are going on a mission, I can hear a lot of machineries coming to life on the other end. 

When we stepped out, I expected to see the state of the art airships that the German Order deploys. However, what greeted us was an empty room spanning almost half an entire football field. The floor and walls are made of a sturdy cyan glass-like material with a blue light spread out on it like a greed..

The walls must be just as tall as a three storey building. There is a glass encasing high up, with a few people seated, looking at us like spectators.   
  


While Kai is awed by the futuristic grandeur of the room, I took a closer look at the encasing. When I saw all of them it sent a chill down my spine. It’s the higher ups. Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Manuel Neuer, looking down at us. Observing our movement.

Kai stopped me. I turned my attention to him and saw him looking straight forward. I followed where his eyes were and spotted Miroslav Klose in the center of the room.

“Welcome,” he said. 

“I’m sure you have a lot of questions. I know you’ve been in correspondence with Bernd Leno regarding what to expect on the first day. I’m sorry to say that we will be breaking protocol, for a special occasion.

I want to test you, by combat.”

It’s like my soul left my body. My eyes widened, my arms shivered, my knees turned brittle. My heart was pumping blood so fast it can compensate for two running horses.

Him? Miroslav Klose. Miroslav Klose of the legendary Celestial Three. The only one that has defeated Iker Cassilas. Want to fight us?

I looked at Kai and his confident facade turned into a furious scowl. He really wanted to be in the German Order, he prepared for this day. He spent weeks training his abstraction so he can be as close to Class-A as he possibly can. However, now Klose will be wiping the floor with us.

I can feel the eyes of Lahm, Schweinsteiger, and Neuer weighing down on me. It’s not only that the both of us must defeat Klose, we need to impress the three of them up there as well. As if defeating Klose isn’t impossible enough.

None of us will be getting into the German Order.

“But first,” he said. “May we get a short demo of your abstraction?”

“What do we do?” Kai asked.

“Name, explanation, demonstration. That should be good enough. Let’s start with yours,” he pointed at me.

I stepped forward, and everytime my feet met the floor the vibration echoed through my bones. I was breathing like my ribs were closing in on my lungs. I looked back at Kai hoping to get a little bit of clarity. But he was just as helpless as I am, at least he is showing up a brave face. As for me, I could melt any time now.

“I really don’t have a name for it sir.” I stuttered. What a stupid start. He raised his right brow but ultimately nodded at me, signaling for me to proceed. “I can bridge two points in space. Like as if I am folding paper to make two surfaces meet so I can jump from one end to the other.”

At least Kai’s abstraction is flashy. Mine is just your standard teleportation abstraction, nothing new about that. But I demonstrate it anyway, picking the space right in front of Klose.

To a bystander, what’s happening looks like me taking a step, disappearing halfway and reappearing to the destination point finishing that step. But in my perspective, it’s a little more interesting. 

I compressed the space between me and Klose. What I’m seeing right now is as if the space is not there to begin with, that from where I stand, is just inches to where I want to end up.

All I need is to take one step and in an instant, I’ve scaled the entire distance.

I waited for Miro to say something. To acknowledge what I’ve done. Does he want more? Is this enough? Do I need to show him more? I don’t really have any tricks with me.

Now as I stared at his neutral, bordering on unimpressed, face I am filled with regret turning down Kai’s offer to train together. Maybe I could’ve learned a few tricks. To tell the truth, I don’t even know if there is even something more that can be derived from my nameless abstraction. It’s just that, teleportation.

I hoped that I can fit in just fine by being a Support Class in a team, but apparently they might be looking for something more.

Ultimately, Miro just nodded slightly and I took my leave, stepping back right behind Kai. I could not even get myself to look at him. I might have even cost Kai his promotion to the German Order’s first team.

I just hope that this will end in a much more positive light.

“Sir,” he said. A little too loudly as I saw his shoulders twitched. He must be embarrassed. In my mind I’m trying to tell him, “Go ahead, you got this,” as if I can really connect to him telepathically.

“The name is Void, sir. It can remove objects, simple as that.”

That’s good. Honest, direct, brief, unlike my incoherent rambling earlier.

He clapped his hands and slowly separated them. From where I stood, I could hear the crackling sound and high pitched whirring of the literal black hole that Kai is creating. His legs were spread out, as it anchored itself to the ground. His hands and arms were shaking, as he struggled to keep his Void active.

I looked at the spectators above and saw them leaning into the glass, trying to get a better look of Kai. Good, they’re impressed. At least Kai has a better chance of getting in. That’s good enough for me.

When we got the call, I saw it as a miracle rather than an opportunity. Not many German abstractors are scouted early on, and not many of them are called into the German Order. The roster nowadays is impressive. I would never have imagined someone like me being called to serve.

I should’ve known that me being here was just a glitch in the system.

I’m happy for Kai at least. He impressed the judges. All that’s left to do is defeat Klose, I have faith that he can do it. My goal now is to help him win their approval as much as I could.

Kai groaned as the crackling grew more violent. My heart dropped. He is pushing himself too far. His abstraction is powerful, godly, even but is just as volatile. Why is he keeping it up, what is he trying to prove? I looked at Klose and saw him looking at him with contempt. Fury flooded me. 

How dare he look at Kai like that. What else does he want from him? Kai is only a kid that wanted nothing more than to impress them, to serve alongside them in the German Order and the first thing that they will give him is contempt? Given time, Kai will be their most valuable asset and they are not even willing to give him a chance.

I wanted to step right in front of him and punch him then and there. I had to take all that contempt they have for us if that means I’ll not mess up Kai’s chances. It doesn’t make me any less angry.

Kai’s abstraction exploded in front of him, throwing him back. I teleported right beside him. I wanted to scold him. I’ve told him many times that his control is shaky, that he should not hold it active for too long. Stubborn that he is, did so anyway and now he is splayed right in front of me.

I did not know what to do. I wanted to take him to my embrace but I am scared that showing affection might mean unprofessionalism to the higher ups. All I could right now is to hold his hand and pray that he is alright.

Klose moved right by us. I restrained myself to glaring in fear that he could see right by the burning disdain I held over him. He placed his hand on Kai’s chest and the area around it shone a soft blue glow. Even by holding Kai’s hand I could feel the relief trickle into my hands.

Klose is healing him?

I sighed in relief when Kai finally responded. He looked at me like he did not just wake up from a blast of his own doing. Klose stood up. Looked at the two of us and said, “Still unstable.”

I did not mind him. I put all of my focus back to Kai and helped him up. By now Klose has already returned to the center of the room.

“That demonstration should suffice. Am I correct in my certainty that my abstraction aided your rapid recovery Kai Havertz or am I wrong?”

Kai nodded before saying, “Yes, sir. I feel good as new. Thank you.”

“Very well, I suppose there’s no use dragging this longer. We do not have all day, don’t we?” Klose looked up to the glass encasing above us. I followed him and saw Lahm nodding.

“Wait, what if I accidentally injure you, or kill you?” Kai asked. 

He is right. Even if the obvious instability of his Void is to be ignored, the fact remains that his abstraction can remove objects out of thin air. It doesn’t matter if it's organic or inorganic. If it exists, it will make it not exist.

Klose chuckled softly and looked at us.

“But can you?”

If I am to aid Kai, I have to follow him. I stepped backwards, signaling him to lead.. 

I looked at Klose, his posture unchanged from where we first found him. He stood idly like he wasn't in the middle of combat. His arms crossed, his legs straight, his eyes lazily observing us.

All that I could think right now is how Klose would even fight. He is a healer. I could never imagine him defeating Iker Casillas.

Focus. I got my eyes on Kai. He turned his head slightly to me and whispered, “Brandt, how are you with your spontaneous teleportation?”

“Getting better I hope,” I said.

“Great, send me in front of him then you go behind.”

It’s not the most spectacular start, but I’ll take it.

I swallowed my disgust over the thought of hurting Miroslav Klose.

Kai launched himself forward in a punching motion. While he was midair I sent us right in front of Klose, dropping Kai close to him. Hopefully his punch would land. I teleported behind him, dropping myself right above his back. I put my arms wide open. Should Kai miss I can at least pull Klose down into a choke.

“Predictable,” Klose muttered.

He grabbed Kai by the arm, he did not even grasp it, he just made contact with his skin. A blue blob of light appeared between Kai’s skin and his palms, connecting them. He pulled Kai with it, sending him my way. We crashed on the floor, tumbling on each other.

A brief pain ran through both my back and abdomen from the impact. As I pushed myself up, irritation burned right through me. I knew that cheap tactic wouldn’t work but it doesn’t make it any less frustrating.

“Tell me, Mr. Brandt. Are you familiar with cores?” Klose asked.

So we’re doing quizzes now. I’ve never really thought much about it before. From what Bernd told me, it's our resource for our power, a storage for energy, a tool for controlling our abstractions. So I tell him that.

“It’s a resource, a tool for our abstractions. Right?”

He just ignored me, looking at us with an invitation to attack. I leaped forward, teleporting myself right below him. He dodges to the right. Before I could even land I teleport myself once more, this time above him.

A mistake. I thought I could actually get him this time. It was as if he knew the exact time and place I sent myself to. He did not even flinch when I landed on his palm.

I found myself gasping for air. My arms felt paralyzed, I wanted to push myself away but I could not do it. My chest felt like it's collapsing on itself, like air is being sucked out of it. I looked down and saw the same blob of light emanating from his hand.

“No creativity.” He said, unimpressed. 

He let go of me. When I crashed on the floor I immediately crawled backwards, desperately wanting to get away from him. My hands struggled to grasp the glass like floor, it being extremely cold to the touch did not help.

I heard more grunts and yelps from a distance, most if not all of it from Kai. Still stunned, I looked at their altercation. Kai was really giving it his all, his eyes fixated on Klose’s movements, his fists always ready to throw in punches. Klose, meanwhile dodged all of it like it was nothing. He could be blindfolded and still manage to make our efforts futile.

Kai stopped, clutching his right arm, his back hunched, his body is struggling to keep himself up. For a moment I was scared that Klose would switch to offense. Thankfully he didn’t, making me release a hefty sigh of relief.

“Why are you doing this to us?” Kai asked.

Klose studied him, and then glanced at me, and then to the glass encasing above.

“Our cores are neither a resource, nor a tool,” Klose said, ignoring Kai. “It is a part of us, yes. But our core is not as simple as you— no— almost everyone thinks it is.”

He paused again. “Kai Havertz, why are you not using your Void?”

Kai looked at him in shock, “You want me to use my abstraction? Are you insane? What if I kill you?”

Klose answered with a stern look.

“Fine,” Kai yelled. I stood in fear. Is he really going to use his Void on Klose? He must’ve not heard what Kai said earlier, it can literally remove things from existence and he wants him to use it? He’s underestimating Kai. He clearly has not seen what it can do.

I teleported right behind Kai, pulling him to me.

“He’s just taunting you.” I told him.

“Obviously. He’s testing us.”.

“Well don’t give in to him then” I exclaimed. “If he wanted a fight he had a tonne of opportunities to end us early on but he didn’t.”

Kai shook my hand off his shoulders and turned his back on me. I pulled him back harder.

“What do you want?” He snapped.

“I want you to stop, Kai. You’re dangerous.”

Regret hit me like a truck immediately. Kai swatted my hand away and proceeded to stomp towards Klose. 

“Kai I didn’t mean to…”

He extended his right hand, his palm open wide. Black sparks trailed it and soon enough a ripple appeared and exploded wide open to a thin sheet of pure darkness. It’s almost paper like, following his hand like a kite, but make no mistake, Kai is handling pure obliteration in his fingertips.

“Kai, don’t,” I yelled, but he wasn’t listening.

I wanted to follow him. I wanted to teleport him out of here but the truth is even I am afraid of his abstraction. I fear the destruction it brings. But even more than that I am disappointed at myself for letting it get in between me and helping him.

All I can do now is watch.

Kai jumped forward swinging his arm at Klose. Roaring at each attempt of pointing his Void at him. I studied Klose further. His brows furrowed, eyes fixated at Kai’s Void, dodging it with caution. Yet still he does not block nor attack him. It’s as if he just wanted to see his abstraction up close.

“Are you just gonna stand there Julian Brandt?” He challenged.

I can’t go in, not when I cannot evade Kai now that he’s on a rampage. However, I can’t just watch here forever. If Kai’s going to push himself to his limit, then I will too.

I screamed my lungs out and teleported right behind him. As expected he sensed my arrival so in that instant I teleported myself once more, this time aiming my right knee to his side. But it seems like he foiled me as I saw his hands ready to block me but I teleported before he could even touch me.

If he catches me I'm done.

This time I aimed myself at his legs. I managed to sweep him off his feet. A relief suddenly burst inside me but there's no time to celebrate. Now thatI'm parallel to the ground I teleported myself upwards and reoriented myself to a position punching upwards and teleported myself back before he could even land on the floor.

I punched him in the gut and in the same instant repeated the same maneuver, this time spinning myself midair kicking downwards and teleporting myself hitting him in the back making him crash on the floor. 

I felt a sharp pain in my chest so I teleported myself away. That was the first time I used my abstraction like that and my body is already protesting my abuse.

I didn't even notice what became of Kai. I saw him standing still, gasping for air as hard as I did, clutching the hand that summoned his Void. He was giving me a labored look, it was a mixture of delight, surprise and exhaustion.

Klose chuckled as he stood up. I watched him, deep in prayer almost begging for this ordeal to stop. Wishing that he'd finally call it off.

"Impressive," he said, glancing at me. I can't help but give him a triumphant look. "But don't get cocky." 

"There are two kinds of abstractors. The warrior and the tactician. In a way you are right, Brandt. a warrior thinks of his core as a tool, and a tactician a resource. Complimentary roles but different nonetheless. The only similar thing about them is their ignorance of its true nature."

"And you?" I said, a little bit smug than intended. "Which are you?"

Klose looked at me dead in the eye. It felt like his sight pierced my soul. "Neither," he answered.

"I am a scientist"

Klose must've had more to say but even I was taken aback with Kai as he launched himself towards him with two sheets of Void trailing from his hands.

"You're open," Klose muttered and swiftly forced his palm right in the middle of Kai's chest. His abstraction was extinguished immediately. Threads of blue light burst behind Kai. He hung by his palm like a puppet without strings.

He retracted his hand and pulled out a clone of Kai made of transparent cloudy blue light. The clone was connected to Kai by a thread from his head, hands, feet and chest.

Klose moved it closer to him, inspecting it, like it was just an object he took from a shelf.

"That's enough," Phillip Lahm commanded.

He obliged, returning the clone back to Kai's body. He caught him as he fell and gently placed him on the floor.

Klose looked at me and said, "Come help your friend."

I teleported right beside Kai. Still wary of Klose's presence behind me.

"Don't worry. The captain said it's over."

I did not care. All I wanted to know is if Kai is alright. I grabbed his hand and squeezed him tightly. I repeatedly whispered his name begging him to respond. He was groaning, but he did not show signs of pain, only severe exhaustion.

And in all of a sudden I felt my body getting lighter. The tiniest bit of pain, the most subtle of discomfort dissolving into thin air. It was like I was being recharged. The relief was better than a good night's sleep, much more fulfilling than a delicious meal.

And that's when I noticed the smokey aura that enveloped the two of us. Kai's hand moved and his eyes slowly opened. He proceeded to stand up without the need of my help. After that the aura disappeared. I turned around to look for Klose and found him exiting the room.

The two of us stood there stupified by the turn of events. We weren’t even given closure. Did we pass? Did we fail? Are we even in trouble? Not one of us had a clue. Not one of us had any idea what to say next.

Thankfully Lahm emerged from the entrance soon after. We were so stunned that we did not even get to ask what became of that test. Lahm even looked just as confused as we were, even more so with a hint of fury in his face.

We were led to another room and were instructed to wait. And so we stayed put, anticipating the arrival of Miroslav Klose’s ultimatum. Dreading for his say on our fate. Scared for our future.

We waited until boredom took over us. Knowing Kai he could’ve just slept through the boredom but whatever Klose did revitalized us to our full capacity. To be honest, we weren’t even feeling the impact of the test earlier. It’s as if we did not just finish pushing our abstraction to its limits.

Soon enough Lahm arrived. I could not tell if he was bearing good or bad news.

“First of all, I would like to apologize for allowing you to be subjected to Miro’s test. When he proposed the activity to me I thought he just wanted you to demonstrate your abstractions. I never imagined actual combat would be involved.”

“What was it all for?” I asked.

“Like Miro said, unlike most of us he has a more scientific outlook on abstractions. Sometimes in his pursuit of knowledge things get out of hand.”

“Did we fail?”

“I called the both of you because you already displayed the qualities befitting a first team operative. Miroslav Klose’s test would not change my decision.

In fact, I am impressed with it. Not that I support his conduct.” Lahm said.

That’s our confirmation. The moment we stepped foot in the compound we already were first team operatives. Perhaps it was the pressure of having four of higher ups judging us that I was blind to that fact.

I should be celebrating right now. Me and Kai just got into the German Order. As I took a quick glance at Kai,who’s been waiting for this opportunity for a long time, he looked even more underwhelmed by the announcement. It’s obvious that confusion took over us. If the test did not matter then why do it in the first place?

What did Miroslav Klose want from us?

Lahm stood up and made his exit. However, before he could leave the room he stopped for a moment and turned around.

“For what it’s worth. Klose said you two exceeded expectations.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Background info:
> 
>   1. The Celestial Three is an unofficial title given to Iker Casillas, Miroslav Klose and Gianluigi Buffon.
>   2. They are three most powerful abstractors in the world.
>   3. Klose and Casillas never confirm nor deny the rumor of their fight. Germans insist that Klose won that fight while the Spanish, of course endorses Casillas.
> 

> 
> I'm not pretty sure if the fight scene hit the mark, but let me know. There's a bigger story coming and I'm using this drabble collection to practice writing fight scenes and kinda test-run the logic of this AU. So when that thing comes something I established here might be changed but I think it's nothing too drastic. Some concept polishing I guess? 
> 
> Please feel free to comment whatever I appreciate it :)


	6. Too Old for This

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sergio drags along Javi and Thiago after being challenged by Pique if he can withstand Thiago's abstraction. Iker is not too pleased with what ensued.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is purely self-indulgent. I drafted this so long ago so it's not really that fleshed out. I don't even have names for Thiago and Javi's abstractions yet. This is just a small bit. I just wanted to try writing other characters' abstractions. I hope you guys enjoy :)

“Are you sure about this?” Javi asked. “You’ll literally obliterate them out of existence.”

Thiago whipped his head to Javi and immediately said, “Please, God. Both of them have powerful abstractions. I’m sick of their dick measuring contests.”

“What’s the hold up? I want to get this on camera.” Gerard yelled several meters above ground. Thiago and Javi looked at him, his silver metal wings shimmering on the bright noon sun. He was flying around, circling them, a camera in hand excited to see if Sergio can really absorb Thiago’s sand beam.

Back on the ground, Sergio stands severel feet away from them. He already have both his arms up in a cross, activating his abstraction— Bastion. With Bastion, Sergio can absorb attacks and release them in one destructive blow.

This all started when he challenged Gerard’s abstraction, Sentry. Gerard can coat himself in armor in the form of metal feathers. His famous use of his Sentry is his wings that acts as both a weapon and a shield.

“How about you erect a magma sculpture beside me Javi.” Sergio suggested. “Just so we can see the effect of Thiago in normal things.”

“I can propel sand and dust at light speed Sergio, I can shred objects to thin air what else do you need to know.”

Still, Javi complied. He kneeled and placed his hand on the ground. Immediately cracks formed and crawled to Sergio’s left side. The ground near the cracks boiled to a red hot magma, bubbling and spitting out steam. It erupted on the place beside Sergio, magma formed into a sculpture that mirrored his stance.

“That's great!” Sergio yelled in approval. “Thiago I’m ready. Hit us both.”

Thiago scoffed. He raised his hand right in front of his chest and curled it like he was holding a ball. Specks of white light appeared and circled rapidly on the blank space. Javi can see trails of dust being sucked into it, being circulating rapidly that it glows white. The specks grew into a ball that kept enlarging. It started to give off a hum that has a pitch that keeps getting higher at every second.

Finally, Thiago looked dead straight to Sergio and extended his arms forward, his palms pointed to him. The ball of ]light extended to a blinding white short cylindrical beam that screeched so loud that Javi had to cover his ears.

The beam swallowed Sergio. Gerard was hovering high up, pointing his camera to the scene. A smug grin is very much visible on his face.

When the beam subsided, the sculpture was cut cleanly. The cut off on its legs followed the curve of the cylindrical beam.

Sergio staggered backwards. He was covered with a thick white aura. A sign that he absorbed the attack. He looked up at Gerard, now visibly annoyed, he was exhaling hoarsely through his gritted teeth. His smile was ear to ear as to declare Gerard’s challenge as a bust. He once again proved that his abstraction is more powerful defensively to him.

The aura glowed brighter. He needed to release the energy.

“Javi, a wall please.” Thiago said.

Javi punched upwards. Magma rose and solidified into a wall infront of them.

Sergio roared and punched the ground, concentrating the energy in his fist in one big explosion. The ground shook. The dust were visible high up. Gerard had to flap his wings violently to blow the dust away from him. Javi’s wall collapsed on the edges. He was affraid that Sergio might actually bring down the wall.

Thiago coughed through the dust and covered his eyes. When Javi finally let the wall down, they saw a giant crater. In the middle of it was Sergio, stunned.

The two quickly ran to his side and helped him up.

“I didn’t realize you were that powerful. I almost had trouble bending that energy.” Sergio said.

“I told you so.”

“What of this crater? Iker will kill us.” Javi said, his fear bleeding into words.

And as soon as he said that all three of them felt light. As if they were being gently levitated.

“Oh uh,” Sergio said.

In the distance, they heard Gerard scream as he crashed to the ground. His arms and legs spread outwards. He was visibly struggling to move, like as if there were weights holding him down.

Javi almost spit out his throat when all three of them felt a violent tug upwards by their chest.

“Iker,” Thiago said, now also struggling to move.

“What the hell is going on here,” Iker shouted with a voice that boomed like thunder.

He stepped out through dust, his right arm raised. He was scowling at all four of them. “Irresponsible!” He yelled. “Acting like children. Do you think of your abstractions like toys?”

He looked at Gerard. “Pique, you were flying up high, making yourself visible in the near vicinity. What if an outsider spots you?”

He looked at Sergio. “Ramos, causing unnecessary destruction. What are you trying to prove? That you have a brain the size of a pebble? You don’t have to prove that your Bastion is the most powerful. It already is. Stop getting taunted by Pique.”

He glared at Javi and Thiago. “And you two. I’m disappointed. I thought that maybe you’ll be the sense of reason and logic in this team but no. I guess I can’t have that.”

“Iker, please, if I may—“

“No!” Iker interrupted Thiago. He raised his index finger and drew a circle counter clockwise. All three of them rotated, and hung upside down.

After swatting Sergio out of the crater effortlessly with a wave of his hand, he fixed the mess they made. He filled the crater with rocks. He held up his arms, his fist curled into a fist. Thiago and Javi felt Iker's invisible grip on them tighten. Ultimately, Iker sighed letting go of them. In the distance, Gerard, finally free, gasped for breath in between coughing out.

“I expected better from all of you.” 

Iker, feeling defeated, took his exit muttering, “I’m too old for this.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Background info:
> 
>   * As mentioned in the previous chapter. Iker Casillas is one of the Celestial Three, an unofficial title given to him, Miroslav Klose and Gianluigi Buffon.
>   * Iker Casillas abstraction deals with gravity making him formidable in combat.
>   * Sergio Ramos' Bastion can withhold attacks and redirect its energy. When unleashed it leaves him dazed for a few moment in which Gerard Pique, who is much more versatile, takes over and protects him. They usually are paired in missions
>   * Thiago Alcantara's abstraction gives him the ability to collect and propel sand and dust in light speed, creating a short ranged cylindrical beam.
>   * Javi Martinez's abstraction gives him the ability to mold solid rocks into magma as well as the ability to control it.
> 

> 
> I have concepts for players in many countries. I'm thinking if I should make a different post for each NT's or should I just compile them here.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay wow, this is my first time writing and describing actions like this. Might be bad, but hey, gotta start somewhere right? I hope you guys enjoy this. Leave a comment or a kudos if you do, I always appreciate that. Thanks for reading.
> 
> Upcoming chapters in no particular order...  
> 2019: Just your ordinary farewell | ft. Frenkie de Jong & Matthjis de Ligt  
> 2015: Leverkusen in chaos | ft. Kai Havertz & Julian Brandt  
> 2018: Unconventional Healing | ft. Olivier Giroud & Hugo Lloris  
> 2015: Purpose | ft. Manuel Neuer & Thomas Muller  
> 2015: The Ark | Ft. Benedikt Howedes & Christoph Kramer  
> 


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